Rafael Nadal has joined his Wimbledon semi-final opponent Rainer Schuettler in pulling out of this week's Mercedes Cup tournament in Stuttgart.

The new Wimbledon champion, who won the competition last year, flew to Germany to apologise personally to the organisers.

Citing an injury to his right knee, originally sustained during his 3rd round win against Mikhail Youzhny and aggravated during the final itself, Nadal explained that his doctors have recommended a couple of days' rest before the problem can be diagnosed properly, and that he should not return until he is completely recovered.

Since the middle of March, the 22 year old Mallorcan has played 47 matches, winning six titles, including two majors.

Nadal digs deep to depose Federer
By: thinkSPAIN
Monday, July 7, 2008

In the longest, and one of the most entertaining Wimbledon finals ever witnessed at the All England Club, Rafael Nadal became the first Spaniard since Manuel Santana in 1966 to win the grasscourt major as well as the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season.

Roger Federer battled back after the first rain break to take the third and fourth sets on tie-breaks, but was ultimately unable to bag a sixth consecutive title.

After a second rain delay, with the scores tied at 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7 2-2, both players held their serves until the Swiss number one finally cracked in game fifteen, leaving Nadal to serve out for the championship.

Afterwards, Federer admitted "I tried everything. Rafa is a deserving champion, he just played fantastic. It didn't make it easier but I expected the worst. It's the worst opponent on the best court. It's been a joy to play here again. It's a pity I couldn't win it but I'll be back next year."

For his part, a delighted Nadal, who raised some eyebrows by clambering from the Players' to the Royal box to greet Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia in the immediate aftermath of his victory, paid tribute to his defeated opponent: "It's impossible to explain what I felt in that moment...winning my favourite tournament, it's a dream. He's still the number one, he's still the best, he's five times champion, now I have one."

Nadal made to sweat for third final berth
By: thinkSPAIN
Friday, July 4, 2008

Germany's Rainer Schuettler will take a lot of pride from his performance in the second and third sets having embarrasingly lost the first 1-6 in just 23 minutes.

Serving for the set having broken the world number two in game three of the second was the highlight of his afternoon though as he went on to lose the ensuing tie-break then lost his service again in game three of the third set which the young Spaniard wrapped up 6-4 to book a place in his third final in a row against arch-rival, Roger Federer.

Bidding for a record sixth straight title, the Swiss number one seed earlier breezed past Russia's Marat Safin with a 6-3, 7-6, 6-4 victory.

Schuettler battles through to second Grand Slam semi
By: thinkSPAIN
Friday, July 4, 2008

Germany's Rainer Schuettler will be back out on court this afternoon (approx. 4.30pm CET) to face Rafael Nadal, less than 24 hours after finally completing a marathon five-set victory over Arnaud Clement in a match that was twice interrupted by rain.

The unseeded 32 year old, currently ranked 94th in the world, needed five hours and twelve minutes to edge the match 6-3, 5-7, 7-6, 6-7, 8-6 and reach his second ever Grand Slam semi-final.

His previous best dates back to the 2003 Australia Open final, when he was thrashed 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 by Andre Agassi.

Yesterday's epic failed by 14 minutes to clinch the record for the longest match ever at the All England Club - set in the second round in 1989 when it took Greg Holmes three days to beat Todd Witsken 5-7, 6-4, 7-6, 4-6, 14-12.

Nadal thumps tired Murray to reach third semi
By: thinkSPAIN
Thursday, July 3, 2008

It took less than an hour and a half for Rafael Nadal to beat Scotland's Andy Murray 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 out on Centre Court yesterday evening to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for the third year in a row.

Afterwards, Nadal described his performance as "probably my best ever match here."

The young Spaniard next faces either Rainer Schuettler (Ger) or Arnaud Clement (Fra) whose match resumes today out on Court One with the scores tied at one set all (6-3, 5-7).

Five-times champion, Roger Federer also displayed impressive form as he breezed past Mario Ancic 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.

The Swiss master next faces Croatia's Marat Safin, who knocked out Spain's Feliciano López out on Court One 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-3 in a rain-interrupted match lasting two hours and 39 minutes.

€3,000 euros for Murray-Nadal tickets
By: thinkSPAIN
Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Tickets for today's quarter final clash between Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray are exchanging hands for as much as €3,000, according to a report in last night's Evening Standard.

The former training pals will be on Centre Court at around 3.45pm (CET), immediately after the conclusion of Roger Federer's match against Mario Ancic.

Murray, who battled back from two sets down to beat Richard Gasquet last Monday evening, has never beaten Nadal in three previous attempts, but will enjoy massive home support.

The winner will be up against either Rainer Schuettler of Germany or France's Arnaud Clement, neither of whom are seeded.

Spain's other survivor, Feliciano López, takes on Russia's Marat Safin, who knocked out Novak Djokovic earlier in the competition, in the opening match out on Court One for the fourth semi-final spot.

Nadal and López reach Wimbledon quarters
By: thinkSPAIN
Monday, June 30, 2008

Rafael Nadal survived an early injury scare to become the second Spaniard into the quarters finals at the All England Club with a 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 win over Russia's Mikhail Youzhny.

The number two seed, who required on-court treatment for a twisted knee after slipping in the second game, next faces the winner of the match between France's Richard Gasquet and Scotland's Andy Murray.

Earlier, Feliciano López came through a marathon three-and-a-half hour battle against Cyprus's Marcos Baghdatos 5-7, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 8-6 though there was worse news for Fernando Verdasco who threw away a two-set-to-one lead at 4-1 up in the fourth set to lose to Croatia's Mario Ancic 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 13-11 in a match lasting three hours and 48 minutes.

Three Spaniards through to last 16
By: thinkSPAIN
Sunday, June 29, 2008

Rafael Nadal beat German veteran Nicolas Kiefer 7-6, 6-2, 6-3 at the All England Club yesterday to join fellow Spaniards Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano López in the last sixteen.

Fifth seed David Ferrer was beaten late on Friday by Mario Ancic, who next faces Verdasco, while Guillermo García López fell to the oldest man left in the competition, Germany's Rainer Schuettler (32).

If Nadal beats Russia's Mikhail Youzhny, he could be up against Andy Murray in the quarter finals should the young Scot come through his fourth round match against French 8th seed, Richard Gasquet.

There are no surviving Spaniards in the Women's draw after third-round defeats for Anabel Medina and María José Martínez Sánchez against Agnes Szavay and Venus Williams respectively.

Nadal drops set on way to Wimbledon third round
By: thinkSPAIN
Friday, June 27, 2008

Rafael Nadal had to come from behind to beat Latvian teen, Ernest Gulbis, but came through 5-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-3 to set up a third-round meeting with Germany's Nicolás Kiefer.

For his part, the German 27th seed enjoyed a much more comfortable ride, dropping just four games on his way to a 6-0, 6-3, 6-0 victory against Argentina's Martín Vassallo Argüello.

In yesterday's all-Spanish second-round clash, Guillermo García-López beat Nicolás Almagro to join Fernando Verdasco, David Ferrer and Feliciano López in the next round.

Tommy Robredo did not make it, however, losing out to Germany's Tommy Haas, who next faces Scotland's Andy Murray.

In the Women's competition, Spain's Anabel Medina knocked out Italian 20th seed Francesca Schiavone to reach the third round, where she will face Hungarian 15th seed Agnes Szavay while María José Martínez Sánchez (second photo) takes on Venus Williams, having come through a three-set marathon against Indian 32nd seed Sania Mirza.

Nadal safely through to Wimbledon second round
By: thinkSPAIN
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Rafael Nadal has beaten German qualifier Andreas Beck 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 to set up a first meeting with Latvia's Ernests Gulbis, who beat American giant John Isner 7-5, 7-5, 6-7, 7-6 to book his second round berth.

After a closely-fought battle for the third set, Nadal finally imposed his authority to win the tie-break to love and wrap up the match in just under two hours and twenty minutes.

Although Óscar Hernández fell to French 14th seed, Paul-Henri Mathieu, five other Spaniards - Tommy Robredo, Santiago Ventura, Guillermo García-López, Marcel Granollers and Nicolás Almagro - are also through.